He who is gracious to his lover under the impression that he is rich, and is disappointed of his gains because he turns out to be poor, is disgraced all the same: for he has done his best to show that he would give himself up to any one's "uses base" for the sake of money; but this is not honourable.

Train children not by compulsion but as if they were playing.

Most people affirm pleasure to be the good, but the finer sort of wits say it is knowledge.

Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws.

Until philosophers hold power, neither states nor individuals will have rest from trouble.

Writing is the geometry of the soul.

The man who arrives at the doors of artistic creation with none of the madness of the Muses would be convinced that technical ability alone was enough to make an artist... what that man creates by means of reason will pale before the art of inspired beings.